Intracameral injections of framycetin sulphate (Soframycin) in fulminating corneal infections. A clinical trial.

The impermeability of the blood-aqueous barrier to certain antibiotics precludes their use in intraocular infections, and it is very difficult to identify the causative organism if laboratory facilities are not available. With these limitations in view we embarked upon a blanket trial of framycetin sulphate (Soframycin eye drops o 5 per cent.) by intracameral injection in nine cases of intractable hypopyon ulcer. Soframycin is an antibiotic effective against many Gram-positive cocci, especially staphylococci and Gram-negative bacilli. Lutz and Hofferer (I955) found that many strains of B. proteus and Ps. aeruginosa were sensitive to it in vitro. Ainslie and Henderson (I958) found it to be effective by the subconjunctival route, and being highly soluble in water it does not cause any undue tissue irritation. Subconjunctival administration in corneal infection, both clinical and experimental, due to Staph. aureus, Staph. albus, Pneumococcus, E. coli, and Ps. aeruginosa gave satisfactory results (Ainslie and Cairns, I960).